1996-97 Season: Final Regular Season AP Men's Top 25 Poll
Updated August 28, 2020 |
Infoplease Staff
Taken before start of NCAA tournament.
The sportswriters & broadcasters poll: first place votes in parentheses; records through Monday, March 10, 1997; total points (based on 25 for 1st, 24 for 2nd, etc.); record in NCAA tourney and team lost to; head coach (career years and record including 1997 postseason), and preseason ranking. Teams in bold type went on to reach NCAA Final Four.
| Team | Mar. 10 Record | Points | NCAA Recap | Head Coach | Preseason Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas (70) | 32-1 | 1,750 | 2-1 (Arizona) | Roy Williams (9 yrs: 247-58) | 2 |
| 2 | Utah | 26-3 | 1,578 | 3-1 (Kentucky) | Rick Majerus (13 yrs: 279-107) | 6 |
| 3 | Minnesota | 27-3 | 1,571 | 4-1 (Kentucky) | Clem Haskins (17 yrs: 302-214) | 22 |
| 4 | North Carolina | 24-6 | 1,566 | 4-1 (Arizona) | Dean Smith (36 yrs: 879-254) | 8 |
| 5 | Kentucky | 30-4 | 1,559 | 5-1 (Arizona) | Rick Pitino (15 yrs: 352-124) | 3 |
| 6 | South Carolina | 24-7 | 1,365 | 0-1 (Coppin St.) | Eddie Fogler (11 yrs: 204-36) | 29 |
| 7 | UCLA | 21-7 | 1,343 | 3-1 (Minnesota) | Steve Lavin (1 yr: 24-8) | 5 |
| 8 | Duke | 23-8 | 1,245 | 1-1 (Providence) | Mike Krzyzewski (22 yrs: 473-208) | 10 |
| 9 | Wake Forest | 23-6 | 1,223 | 1-1 (Stanford) | Dave Odom (11 yrs: 204-121) | 4 |
| 10 | Cincinnati | 25-7 | 1,014 | 1-1 (Iowa St.) | Bob Huggins (16 yrs: 360-143) | 1 |
| 11 | New Mexico | 24-7 | 949 | 1-1 (Louisville) | Dave Bliss (22 yrs: 415-254) | 17 |
| 12 | St. Joseph's-PA | 24-6 | 856 | 2-1 (Kentucky) | Phil Martelli (2 yrs: 45-20) | NR |
| 13 | Xavier-OH | 22-5 | 765 | 1-1 (UCLA) | Skip Prosser (4 yrs: 76-39) | NR |
| 14 | Clemson | 21-9 | 713 | 2-1 (Minnesota) | Rick Barnes (10 yrs: 184-120) | 20 |
| 15 | Arizona | 19-9 | 654 | 6-0 | Lute Olsen (24 yrs: 533-202) | 19 |
| 16 | Coll. of Charleston | 28-2 | 599 | 1-1 (Arizona) | John Kresse (18 yrs: 441-112) | 55 |
| 17 | Georgia | 24-8 | 524 | 0-1 (Tenn-Chattanooga) | Tubby Smith (6 yrs: 124-62) | NR |
| 18 | Iowa State | 20-8 | 485 | 2-1 (UCLA) | Tim Floyd (11 yrs: 231-112) | 11 |
| 19 | Illinois | 21-9 | 437 | 1-1 (Tenn-Chattanooga) | Lon Kruger (15 yrs: 259-195) | 31 |
| 20 | Villanova | 23-9 | 387 | 1-1 (California) | Steve Lappas (9 yrs: 159-118) | 7 |
| 21 | Stanford | 20-7 | 371 | 2-1 (Utah) | Mike Montgomery (19 yrs: 358-205) | 18 |
| 22 | Maryland | 21-10 | 344 | 0-1 (Coll. of Charleston) | Gary Williams (19 yrs: 350-229) | NR |
| 23 | Boston College | 21-8 | 255 | 1-1 (St. Joseph's) | Jim O'Brien (15 yrs: 235-217) | 21 |
| 24 | Colorado | 21-9 | 244 | 1-1 (N. Carolina) | Ricardo Patton (2 yrs: 26-19) | NR |
| 25 | Louisville | 23-8 | 226 | 3-1 (N. Carolina) | Denny Crum (26 yrs: 613-233) | 28 |
Others receiving votes: 26. Tulsa (23-9) 128 pts; 27. California (21-8) and Marquette (22-8) 99; 29. Iowa (20-9) 89; 30. Princeton (23-3) 79; 31. Indiana (22-10) 55; 32. NC-Charlotte (21-8) 42; 33. Wisconsin (18-9) 35; 34. Pacific (22-5) 18; 36. Mississippi (19-8) 17; 37. Purdue (17-11) 13; 38. Rhode Island (20-9) 13; 39. Georgetown (19-9) 8; 40. Texas Christian (21-12) 7; 41. N.C. State (15-14) 6; 42. South Alabama (21-6) 5; 43. Boston University (25-4) and St. Mary's-CA (21-7) 4; 45. Hawaii (20-7) and Illinois State (24-5) 2; 47. Long Island University (21-8) and Navy (18-8) 1.
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